Capacity Building

LFA developed an online diagnostic tool, the Nonprofit Capacity Organizational Diagnostic (N-COD) tool for nonprofits to self-assess their progress on the seven core dimensions of nonprofit capacity, with a vision and impact model as the foundation for driving nonprofit effectiveness. LFA piloted the tool with 54 nonprofits in Solano County to assist First 5 Solano and Solano Health and Social Services in learning about the current landscape of nonprofit organizational capacity in the county. Download the Reportand learn more in our blog post.

In 2015, a group of funders gathered to better understand the availability of quality capacity building services for the nonprofit sector in the Chicago area. They convened a Steering Committee and established an initiative called Point the Way, the long-term goal of which is to unite and coordinate efforts to improve capacity building in Chicago. The Steering Committee hired LFA to conduct a study on nonprofit capacity building needs and services in the greater Chicago area and beyond, and the experiences of those that use, deliver, and invest in them. Over the course of the study, over 400 nonprofits, capacity building providers, and funders provided input on the capacity building supports needed by individual nonprofits and shared their perspective on the ecosystem of capacity building in Chicago. The study incorporates a review of the latest literature on capacity building best practices and trends, and explores three model capacity building programs to understand why they’re successful and what lessons they can offer to consumers and providers of, and investors in, capacity building in the greater Chicago area. The report culminates with recommendations on how Chicago-area nonprofits, funders, and capacity building providers can work together to strengthen supports for nonprofits. Download the Final Report.

With support from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, LFA developed the Better Results Toolkit in partnership with a set of San Francisco Bay Area environmental education organizations that participated in a three-year capacity-building initiative called LEAPS (Leadership and Evaluation for Program Success). The toolkit guides organizations through the process of putting strong data-driven learning practices in place.

Stanford Social Innovation Review published this case study written by Steven LaFrance (LFA's Founder and CEO) and Nancy Latham (LFA's Chief Learning Officer) on a capacity-building initiative designed to advance the field of environmental education provided in Silicon Valley. Download the Full Article

A description of our cohort-based capacity-building services, including an overview of our capacity-building approach. We meet organizations where they are and craft a tailored set of activities to help nonprofits, foundations, and government agencies better measure their impact and manage their course to mission fulfillment. Download the Overview.